B.S. in Civil Engineering, 1994M.S. in Civil Engineering, 1995
JoAnn Browning is a nationally recognized leader in civil engineering whose career reflects an unwavering commitment to resilient infrastructure, research excellence and transformative academic leadership.
A two-time graduate of the University of Kentucky, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering in 1994 and 1995, Browning went on to complete her Ph.D. at Purdue University in 1998. Her technical expertise centers on the life extension of concrete structures through earthquake resistance, durability and sustainability.
Browning is the Lutcher Brown Distinguished Chair and professor of civil engineering at the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). She recently concluded two years of service as interim vice president for research for UTSA, overseeing the university’s research enterprise and advancing large-scale initiatives, faculty development and research integrity efforts.
From 2014 to 2023, Browning served as dean of UTSA’s Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design, where she led a period of remarkable growth. During her tenure, college research expenditures increased 173%, and she led the development of several new academic degree programs, including a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and Ph.D. programs in civil and chemical engineering. Browing also founded a Student Success Center to increase retention and graduation rates, brought two colleges together to form a new, unified college and facilitated the naming of the college in 2022.
Browning began her career at the University of Kansas, where she remained for 16 years, serving as Associate Dean of Administration in her final two. During this time, she led an $80 million building project, was named a Fellow of the American Concrete Institute and was the recipient of numerous university scholar awards.
Nationally, Browning has shaped the direction of civil engineering research and practice. Since 2015, she has helped lead the National Science Foundation’s Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure Network Coordination Office, strengthening collaboration and data sharing across the earthquake engineering community. She currently chairs Committee 318 — the Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete — for the American Concrete Institute and serves as chair of the Building Seismic Safety Council for the National Institute of Building Sciences, influencing national standards that safeguard infrastructure.
Browning is widely honored for her trailblazing work. She was named a Distinguished Woman Scholar by Purdue University, received the San Antonio Business Journal Women’s Leadership Award, was elected to the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame and was recognized as a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
